Independence Day Weekend Special
Softball
Tournaments Galore!
Marc Gofstein
Special to Outsports
Gay softball takes
center stage this Fourth of July weekend as several cities play host
to annual tournaments. Not only are these tournaments extremely competitive, but
also they are great ways to meet other softball players & fans
from around the U.S. and Canada.
If your July 4th
plans have you in one of the following cities, make sure you take some
time and drop by the fields or the bars and meet some of gay
softball’s finest athletes. Who knows, you might even end up getting hooked on the sport
(or getting hooked by one of the players).
PLAYING FOR LIFE II – NEW YORK, NEW
YORK
Hosted by the Big
Apple Softball League – www.bigapplesoftball.com
New York has
re-entered the tournament circuit with Playing for Life II. PforL I
took place in 1991, but for various reasons was not repeated…that
is, until now.
Not only does this
tournament bring together many teams from around the country, but it
also benefits AIDS charities – both local, and nationwide.
This year the charity organization-“Broadway Cares: Equity Fights
AIDS” will be working full-time on this tournament, assisting
with registration and providing support to all facets of the event.
In addition, all money raised (through registrations,
merchandise and ad sales) will be split, with a portion going to a New
York based charity, and the rest to be divided equally amongst AIDS
related charities selected by visiting teams.
Currently, 40 open
division teams are scheduled to compete, including teams from New
York, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Ft. Lauderdale, Minneapolis/St. Paul,
New Haven, Norfolk, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Tampa,
and Washington, D.C.
CHI-TOWN CLASSIC – CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Hosted by the
Metropolitan Sports Association – www.chicagomsa.com
Chicago and
Minneapolis traditionally swap years for hosting this tournament, and
this year is Chicago’s turn. However, after many years of being known as the Windy City
Blowout and being hosted by the Windy City Athletic Association, this
event is now being run by Chicago’s Metropolitan Sports Association
and is now called the Chi-Town Classic.
There is just
something about playing the game of softball in a city where, on one
side you have stunning views of Lake Michigan, and a tremendous
skyline on the other. Chicago’s
tournament definitely delivers more than just softball.
There are wonderful parties at the numerous bars in the
city’s Boystown area (my favorite place is Sidetrack…simply, one
of the best gay bars in the world).
Besides Chicago, the
38 teams participating this year come from Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland,
Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Memphis,
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Milwaukee, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, San
Diego, and Tampa.
CASCADE CUP – PORTLAND, OREGON
Hosted by the Rose
City Softball Association – www.cascadecup.org
Hard to believe that
it was practically a year ago that Portland hosted what is considered
by many one of the most successful Gay World Series…ever!
Now, after that successful event, and a year hiatus because of
the GWS, Portland’s Cascade Cup is back.
Hillsboro, Oregon’s
sports complex, once again, serves as the setting for this wonderful,
Pacific Northwest tradition. With
wonderful climate, coupled with spectacular views of Mt. Hood, this is
one of prettiest cities to host a tournament (hey, why play in a lousy
local if you don’t have to?).
This year, 28 teams
are competing. Amongst them include teams from Portland, Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC.
LIBERTY CLASSIC – IRVINE, CALIFORNIA
Hosted by the Surf
and Sun Softball Association – www.surfandsunsoftball.com
Sunny Southern
California and Softball…the two just seem to naturally go together.
Long Beach’s Surf and Sun Softball Association continues
their annual Fourth of July tradition July 5-6 in wonderful Irvine.
Now, just because
they play the games behind the Orange Curtain, don’t think this is a
quiet, conservative tournament. Oh,
no…this is one happening event.
This also happens to be one of only tournaments over the
weekend that has both Open and Women’s divisions competing.
This year, the 25
Open/21 Women’s teams come from Long Beach, Los Angeles, Phoenix,
and San Diego.
CANADA
CUP – TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA
Hosted
by the Cabbagetown Group Softball League – www.gaysoftball.com
Gay
softball is certainly not limited to the United States, and Toronto
will definitely be hopping during the weekend with teams not only from
the U.S. and Canada, but also from London, England.
This year, 24 teams will be vying for tournament awards in 4
Divisions: Open B, C, D,
and Women’s.
Traditionally,
Canada Cup coincides with several heavy-duty parties in Toronto, so
participants will definitely get their monies worth…whether that’s
U.S. or Canadian Dollar, or even the British Pound.
|
